Terror groups hampered by Phl-US cooperation

WASHINGTON – Terrorist groups in the Philippines are being forced to resort to kidnapping or extortion as their ability to conduct terrorist activities has been constrained by a strong Phl-US counterterrorism cooperation, the US State Department said.

In its Country Reports on Terrorism 2011, the State Department said there was a shift in general in terrorist incidents in East Asia and the Pacific from large-scale attacks to attacks on domestic targets and crimes of opportunity such as kidnapping for ransom.

In the Philippines, the ability of terrorist groups, including the Abu Sayyaf Group, the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army, to conduct internal terrorist activities remained constrained, the report said.

Their acts were generally limited to criminal activities designed to generate revenue for self-sustainment, such as kidnapping or extortion.

In Zamboanga on July 25, two US citizens were kidnapped and subsequently held for ransom by the Abu Sayyaf. One was released on Oct. 3 and the other escaped on Dec. 10.